Improvement in formers for metal shapes



A. BALL.

FoRMERs F011 METAL szAPEs. No. 171,642.

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Wham@ ".PTERS, PHOTOLITHOGRAFHER. WASHiNGTON. D V

Patented Jan.4,1a7e.

' `N1TED STATES PATENT OFFICEo ALBERT BALL, lOF CANTON, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN FORMERS FOR METAL SHAPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 171,642, dated January 4, 1876; application iled i July 31, 1875. y

To all whom t't may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT BALL, of Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Formers for Metal Shapes 5 and that the following is a full, clear, and exact specinca-tion thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the said invention.

My invention relates particularly to an improved former for making the Wrought -iron plow-beam, described in Letters Patent No. 110,722, granted to me on the 3d day of January, 1871; but I do not conne my invention to the manufacture of said beams, as said former may be used for making other irregular metal shapes. Said invention consists in the combination of a xed former-bed, irregular shaping-disk, pressure-Wheel, and adjustable guide-rail; said shapingdisk and pressurewheel having a common axis, and the several parts being arranged so that the pressurewheel shall roll on the guide-rail, and thus carry the shaping-disk around the former-bedA` and against the metal to be shaped, thus forcing said metal into the desired form, as is hereinafter more fully shown. Said invention also consists in the combination of a gear-rim and 'gear-wheel with the former-bed and shapingdisk, whereby the rotary motionof the shapingdisk is secured without danger of drawing the metal to be shaped, as is hereinafter more fully shown.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a plan view of my improved former. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same, taken through the line x y z in Fig. l.

A is the foundation-plate of the machine. B is the guide-rail, made in sections, and secured to the plate A by clamp-bolts running down through slots b in the back partof the rail. O C are set-screws inserted in ears a on the plate A, and bearing at their front ends against the rail B, thus serving as a means of moving the rail toward the former bed F whenever required. I is the gear-plate, around the edge of which are formed gear-teeth t', in the manner of the ordinary gearrack. H is a cover-plate extending out over and protecting the teeth on the plate I. Gr is thebase of the former, and F is the former-bed proper, having its outer face of the configuration and section desired for the inner face of the plow-beam or other article to be formed. M is the main shaft of the movable part of the former, and is made with a square upper end, m, on which is placed the working-lever N, which is conveniently made ofwood for lightness, and strengthened by plate n. J is a gear-wheel rigidly secured on the shaft M, and meshing into the gear-rim I. K is the pressure-wheel, which revolves loosely on the shaft-M, and is made with a grooved-rim, which runs on the rail B. P is the shaping-disk, made with a strong collar, L, by which it is solidly secured on the shaft ),M, and having itsouter edge made of the section desired for the upper face of the beam or article to be formed. W is a clamp -lever, attached by links w to a lug at the inner end of the former F, and serving as a means of holding the rear end of the. beam after the disk P has been started forward, as shown in drawing, so as to prevent the metal being formed from being slid forward by the action of the shaping-disk. The form of the shaping-disk P is such that on revolving the shaft M by means of the lever N, and ,therebygcausing the pressure-wheel K to roll along the rail B, the edge of the disk P will be rolled around the formerbed F 'at a distance therefrom equal to the thickness of the metal to be. shaped, from which it will be seen that by starting the disk P from the end D of the former bed F, the metal placed between the former and disk will be rst forced down into the groove in said,

former-bed, where it can be clamped bythe lever W as soon as the disk P has moved out of the way, when, by continuing the movel K, acting against the rail B, keeps the disk P constantly pressed up to its Work with a moderate amount of friction due to such pressure.

It will be seen that by proper pressure on the lever Nthe disk P could be revolved around the former-bed F without the aid of the gearu l Na-i `wheel J'and `rim I, which could be omitted; but the operation of the former is much more certain and less laborious when said wheel and rim are used, as shown.

What I claim herein as new and of my in-V l. The combination of the former-bed F, shaping-disk P, pressure-Wheel K, and guiderail B, the several parts being constructed, arranged, and operating substantial-115' as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of the geanrim Lformerbed F, shaping-disk P, and gear-Wheel J the several parts being constructed, arranged, and

' operating substantially as and for the purpos specified. 4 n

3. The guide-rail B, made in secton`s`,zand

arranged to be adjusted with respect tolthe former-bed F by means ofscrews O, or equivalent devices, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

4. The clamp-leverW and links fw, in combinaton with the former-bed F, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified. r y

As evidence of the foregoing, witness my hand this 26th day of August, 1874.

ALBERT BALL.

Witnesses:

JOB ABBOTT, P. POWERS. 

